Milfoil treatment slated for Middleton’s Sunrise Lake

Thursday

Apr 25, 2013 at 3:15 AM

MIDDLETON — The Conservation Commission will meet on April 29 at 10 a.m. at the Municipal Bldg. On or about June 14, Aquatic Control Technology of Sutton, Mass., will treat milfoil in designated areas of Sunrise Lake. The areas scheduled include the two coves off Pinkham Road on the northeast side of the lake, the south side near the boat ramp and in the vicinity of the Town Beach. The chemical is not harmful(it is claimed) to aquatic life or humans, although there is an advisory to stay out of the water for about five days following treatment. Subsequent mitigation of the milfoil will be conducted by divers from AB Aquatics of Henniker.

The funds for this additional and very important effort to eradicate milfoil were provided by vote at the March Town Meeting. If milfoil was allowed to proliferate, it could quickly destroy the lake, as milfoil forms very dense mats of vegetation on the surface of the water. This could result in devastating effects on recreational activities such as swimming, fishing and boating. Trapped sediments also increase the sediment rate. The sheer mass of plants has the potential to cause flooding, prevent oxygenation of the water, and stagnate the water creating an ideal habitat for mosquitoes.

On Monday, May 4 at 10 a.m., the Sunrise Lake Village District will hold their annual meeting. There have been some comments about all the lake associations having a ‘summit’ meeting. The purpose of getting everyone together would be coordinating goals and programs, as well as fostering a social cohesiveness.

The Old Town Hall assessment report with accompanying estimates from preservation professionals, funded in part by a grant from the NH Preservation Alliance has been completed. The next step is to organize it to include a detailed assessment and advice on the order in which work should be undertaken. Also included is a separate assessment from a mural preservationist which indicates the murals should be stabilized before any structural work is begun. Cheryl Kimball is submitting a grant proposal to the Moose Plate Program through the State Council on the Arts to help fund that work. Look for a link on the Middleton website for a forthcoming link to a separate website being created to keep residents apprised of the Old Town Hall efforts.

Posters are available at the Municipal Building, with all the information you need about the hazardous waste collection at Waste Management. That’s May 4, from 8:30 to 12:30 p.m. at the Turnkey site on Rochester Neck Road. The flyer also has extensive information on safe and legal ways to dispose items they will not accept as well as a list of alternatives to using hazardous products in and around the home.

School news

Instead of the scheduled AREA meeting last Thursday, the Farmington School Board held a workshop to review questions they had received from the Middleton AREA Review Board. To summarize those questions very briefly: determining the final proposed tuition rate of an AREA agreement; would Farmington consider any agreement (AREA or tuition) to school Middleton’s K-6 students; what budget items should be included in the tuition calculation; on which structures should the two percent building rental fee should be charged. The workshop was a public session, but did not allow public participation.

In actuality, little was determined except to decide that Farmington did not feel inclined to accept only K-6 Middleton students. They did agree that further consultation with the Middleton AREA representatives would be necessary to clarify their understanding of the issues and to work on the financial questions. Some of the financial questions will have to wait until the budget audit is completed. Some of the questions were apparently anticipated, as they were alluded to in the Farmington School Board minutes of April 1.

Food for thought gleaned from the Valley View newsletter: Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Social news

The weather appears to be promising for the April 27 Recreation Committee activities. All the supplies will be provided for youngsters to make peanut butter bird feeders and to plant flower seeds to take home. Activities also include a Spring Egg Hunt which will begin promptly at 1:15 p.m.

The Recreation Committee would also like to thank Neil and Linda Turner for their generous donation of a popcorn machine to be used at future functions. And don’t forget to start collecting stuff for the Annual Yard Sale scheduled for June 22. Rent a 10’ x 10’ space for $20 — at the very least a break-even cost for cleaning out that garage.

Police activity

Police activity from March 25 through April 7 tallied up to 54 log entries. Four entries were for police information, another five for paperwork, one general police service, and one registration of a sex offender. In case you are wondering about the number of these entries, sex offenders must register any changes of work, address, etc. On March 27 one traffic incident occurred on Route 153, one identity fraud was reported on Dudley Drive. and an animal complaint on Lakeshore Drive. On New Durham Road on March 25 the call dealt with a dog deemed a menace, nuisance or vicious. Police responded to civil issues March 27 on Birch Road, and on March 28 on Kings Highway. There were a total of nine suspicious person/MV/activity reports; Deer Run Road on March 25, at the Gospel Chapel and Pine Ridge Road on the 26th, on Pond Road and Route 153 on the 27th, then Adams Way on the 30th; April 4 on Kings Highway, and two on Dudley Drive on April 3 and 4.

There were seven mutual aid calls; two to New Durham, three to Milton, one to Farmington and one to Wakefield. Police were called on March 29 to Silver Street and Governors Road for department assists and again on April 6 to Drew Drive, and assisted the Fire Dept. on Route 153 on March 30.

There was an animal incident March 30 on Lakeshore Drive. Police answered dogs running-at-large calls on April 1 on New Durham Road, and on April 2 to New Durham Road and Lakeshore Drive. Two alarm activations occurred; March 30 on New Durham Road and April 4 on Adams Way. April 1 was busy with a VIN verification on Pinkham Road, an E911 hang-up on New Portsmouth Road, and a probation violation on Kings Highway. On April 2 a theft of services was reported on Elaine Road and a disturbance on Karen Road. Police performed a welfare check April 3 on Birch Road. Middleton Supply filed a report of theft by larceny on April 4 and police investigated the theft of a motor vehicle on Kings Highway on April 6.